[Buzz123]

[quote=Buzz123;1671501]
So here's what I'm saying and I don't care who disagrees with me because I've probably been here longer than anyone on this board, and I've watched it happen to every neighborhood in town but Summerlin. All the old areas of town on the east side of the Strip to the top of Sunrise Mountain, and running north and south from at least Sunset Road in the south to about a mile or two past Craig in the North are crap, and your odds of being robbed and/or killed are greater in those areas, as is, in my humble opinion, your odds of losing on real estate. At least I did.

I stand by my original post.

[Bennysmom]

Originally Posted by Buzz123

If you had been here more than three years and understood the statement you might not say that. All I'm saying is that people do not buy a house in a nice neighborhood, raise kids, and grow old and die, surrounded by family and lifetime friends in Las Vegas neighborhoods like they do in cities back east. That actually goes for most of the west from what I've seen since moving here in 1964. But, as neighborhoods in Las Vegas grow old, they rundown faster than neighborhoods back east simply because our houses are built to last about 50 years or less, not 150 years as they are east of the Mississippi. As our neighborhoods lose their value they are taken over by low income people. Not all low income people are bad people. But many bad people IN THIS TOWN are low income. So you get neighborhoods that should be filled with cozy, quaint little bungalows, and nice old people who have been there forever being over run with people who live like pigs, and would cut your throat for a dollar. Sorry if that offends your senses but it's true HERE IN LAS VEGAS. It may not be true where you come from, and it may go against your plans to revitalize, but it's true. Buying in those old neighborhoods is a risky investment. Living in them is dangerous. I see that you agree that raising your children downtown is not something you want to do. Why is that? Aren't you saying the same thing I'm saying?

I'm just making observations based on 43 YEARS of experience in Las Vegas, and having lived and owned property all over town. How much experience do you have here?

I see your point and have to agree with the above. I happen to live on the east side, at the very top of Sunrise Mountain. My neighborhood had always been very nice, but now is becoming crowded with renters. When original buyers move and renters come in, renters seem to not care as much for the property. Mind you, not all renters are like that, but many are. They have too many junk cars that don't fit in their driveways so park all up and down the street, half of them don't run. Weeds and trash in their front yards, houses run down. They just don't care, as long as they have a roof over their head.

My block is very nice, but 2 blocks away, and it is very dumpy. Someone mentioned on another thread, you actually have to look block to block, because the neighborhoods change that way. So true. I have been lucky, many people on my block care, and are the original owners. Unfortunately I have witnessed the east side deteriorate, and many more of the lower income families are moving in on the east side.

I am not sure if I believe there is more crime over here though. Most of the home invasions that are on the news tend to be NW, and SW part of town, maybe because the robbers think they have more over there to rob.

I do think the east side is becoming too old and run down and not taken care of by its residents

[dynimagelv]

I agree totally Buzz [and I been here longer then you]
Look at the area behind the Blvd Mall....In 1964 it was a brand new area surrounding the Stardust Golf course.....the bubble had burst and they were selling homes for $1 down and all you had to do to qualify was be over 21. [and for another $1 they would throw in the furniture. You can well imagine the class of people they got and that contributed to the area quickly deteriorating.

[Chest Rockwell]

I've been in Vegas since 1993, save for one year that I traveled in Europe. Maybe it was my time there that I got the liking for wanting to live in the city. I also grew up poor and my family never had a car, so living in the suburbs never seemed like an option. Now that I'm 31, even though I've been to college and now make a decent income, I haven't pulled a George Jefferson yet, but I'm not ruling it out!

The theory that all neighborhoods will age and deteriorate is a dangerous one, because one must constantly move to a new development to stay ahead of this. Las Vegas must begin to respect its aging neighborhoods, because there won't always be a steady influx of pristine new communities to move to.

Living in a historic neighborhood, I see a lot of the problems that have been described on this board. In fact, part of my weekend routine is to walk the neighborhood and jot down these violations and report them to code enforcement. I also see a lot of good people moving in who respect these old homes and are making a positive impact by renovating and caring for them. To me, this is so much more gratifying than moving into a brand new development and hoping that the HOA can save me from the inevitable deterioration.

Anyway, I totally understand that there are different strokes for different folks, and I respect everyone's opinion. Outside of being a glutton for punishment, here is our thought process when we chose this neighborhood.

When we were shopping for a home, my wife was locked into a new 1200 sf patio home in the Seven Hills area. I'm happy that I didn't let her get her way (for once!) For the same price we got an extra 700 sf plus a huge yard with mature trees, no monthly HOA dues, we both save about 45 minutes a day in commuting time + gas, and we have been able to renovate our home ourselves, which has been one of the most gratifying experiences of our lives. And when the time comes to sell our home, we don't have to worry about having to compete with 60 identical homes in our tract. Our house is one of a kind and has a certain charm that may not resonate with everyone, but hopefully we're not totally alone in our thinking.

My point is that there are advantages to living in the heart of the city. They may not add up for everyone, but it isn't a waste of money to buy an older home. And you can't run away from low class people, they are everywhere even in high class areas.

[Bennysmom]

Originally Posted by Chest Rockwell

And you can't run away from low class people, they are everywhere even in high class areas.

So True!!

[jfkIII]

Sounds nice, Chest. I bet the house is beautiful, too. One can get very attached to a house that way (true labor of love.) Good luck and I hope more do the same in your surrounding neighborhood.

[guinnessjim]

Originally Posted by jfkIII

Sounds nice, Chest. I bet the house is beautiful, too. One can get very attached to a house that way (true labor of love.) Good luck and I hope more do the same in your surrounding neighborhood.

i live in the same general area as Chest, and there are a lot of nice houses and areas downtown (e.g. people who care about their house, neighborhood, etc.). i see kids playing around on most blocks and there is almost no graffiti (one stop sign is poorly tagged...poorly = good as it clearly wasn't done by an experienced tagger). most house around me a very well kept and the area is quiet...hard to believe that this is downtown LV.

so i second jfk's sentiment...i hope the trend continues and more people do the same in the area.

[sorryville]

Heat and car tips for you! Dark colored cars, especially black, are not a good idea to have here. Black leather can cause blisters on bare skin (trust me). Whoever made mention of parking for shade instead of distance is 110% correct. Take the shade every time. Keep your garage clean for two reasons. First, black widow spiders are a problem here. Second, so you can park your car in it, the whole shade thing again plus security. Also the heat and sun here do a number on paint over time. On a hot summer day asphalt can have a liquid state. If you have a large vehicle (SUV, truck, van) might be a good idea to have a small, flat piece of board with the jack in case of a flat. Prevents the jack from sinking into asphalt under the weight of the vehicle. I learned that back when I drove a full size van. Don't leave things that may melt in your vehicle (credit cards, chapstick). Aerosol type cans (cleaning products, canned air) can explode inside vehicles, too. Plan on going thru windshield wipers, batteries and tires.

[ackackack]

I envy you Chest. If I were to do it again, I would follow your tracks towards downtown. I've always loved the areas around the Huntridge. I paid a lot for my "custom" on a half acre in the Northwest, and I am not happy. I've had more than my share of crime in this "upperclass" area too. Oh, and did I mention all the nearby Wal-Marts? I think you may be one of the few who are really getting your money's worth.

[Chest Rockwell]

Originally Posted by ackackack

I envy you Chest. If I were to do it again, I would follow your tracks towards downtown. I've always loved the areas around the Huntridge. I paid a lot for my "custom" on a half acre in the Northwest, and I am not happy. I've had more than my share of crime in this "upperclass" area too. Oh, and did I mention all the nearby Wal-Marts? I think you may be one of the few who are really getting your money's worth.

It's not all roses, however. Every once in a while, some yahoo leaves a shopping cart in front of my house, which I have to push down to Charleston or else it stays there for a week. Our park was closed because it turned into a homeless shelter and one homeless man murdered another there. I caught a guy dropping his pants and urinating on the fence across the street from me and had to call the cops. One of my neighbors allowed his "brother" to live in his car in the driveway for two weeks. I had to pester code enforcement and the police for like 10 straight days before he moved on. On two occasions, hooligans tossed rocks through my car window which was parked in front of my house.

This seems like an awful lot to put up with over four years, even in "the hood"
Despite all this, I still wouldn't have done it any other way.